Nicoleta Matei (the complete name of Nico) is considered one of the best voices in Romania at the moment, and has won numerous national and international musical prizes. She participated at the Eurovision preselection almost every year since 2002 and she doesn't give up for next year either. Her most recent paticipations were in 2007 with "Dulce Amaruie", in 2006 together with Akcent ( with whom she gained 2nd place with Jokero) and in 2005 with Mihai Traistariu. She already announced the media and composers that she is starting to search for the suitable song for 2008 (most probably a ballad) and hopes this will be the right one to take her to Eurovision next year.

Nico started her musical career in 1996, when she first appeared singing together with well known Romanian hip-hop bands who liked her voice and her image. After 2 years she decided to take a step closer to pop and dance but still remained fond to the R&B style which left a print on her 2005 album „Aşa cum vrei”(“The way you want”).

This year on 2nd April she released her third album "Cast away", which includes 12 tracks, among which 2 english ones: "Cast Away" and "Love is all you need", which participated in the Romanian semifinal for Eurovision this year. "Dulce amăruie" is also included on the album.

UN IDEAL | AN IDEAL

Pe o rază de speranţă când o stea cădea | On a ray of hope while a star was falling Era prins cu fir de viaţă visul meu era | Was caught with a string of life my dream Un ideal, vise adunam | An ideal, I was gathering dreams

Viaţa-i fragedă ca floarea albă de castan | Life is delicate like the white flower of the chestnut tree Doar un vis atinge zarea; nu uita să ai | Only a dream touches the horizon; don’t forget to have Un ideal, vise adunai | An ideal, you were gathering dreams

Pe o rază de speranţă când o stea cădea | On a ray of hope while a star was falling Era prins cu fir de viaţă visul meu era | Was caught with a string of life my dream Un ideal, vise adunam | An ideal, I was gathering dreams

Pe o rază de speranţă când o stea cădea | On a ray of hope while a star was falling Era prins cu fir de viaţă visul meu era | Was caught with a string of life my dream Un ideal, vise adunam | An ideal, I was gathering dreams